Essay Questions

The dramatic narrative is accompanies by newspaper articles, dictionary definitions, encyclopedia entries and “non-fiction” books “about” the dramatic narrative. What does the narrative gain by this?

"Part Three: Wreckage" of the book is nothing but “non-fictional” records related to the events, including the official hospital pathology report on Carrie White’s death. The insertion of this “non-fictional” accounting of events “after the fact” lend authenticity to the story which would otherwise be lacking. At is surface level, this seems to be a decision made by the author simply for the purpose of increasing acceptance among the readership that telekinesis is considered verifiably authentic, thus increasing the realism of the bizarre events within the narrative. And, indeed, that is the case. The inclusion of documentarian elements blurs the distinction between fiction and reality even though the “reality” is just as fictional. At the most basic foundational level, all the extant information composed “after the facts” of the narrative intensity the sense of realism.

What is the deeper historical resonance of the documentary material?

Authenticity and realism is heightened with the introduction of the “non-fiction” material, but King seems to be going after something even deeper since the original, shorter novella version did not include these aspects, but was a more strictly conventional horror story. One reason for later inclusion was to flesh out the length of the text so it could be sold as a novel, but in the transformation, it gained not merely size and authenticity, but a subliminal resonance with the past. The story is set in the New England of the near future and on one level is about the persecution of a young girl deemed different and outsider to whom extraordinary unnatural powers are attributed and, through the “non-fiction” material, verified. The whole thing sounds very similar to an actual famous historical occurrence taking place in the same general region when some not very young girls accused others who were deemed different of being witches. This witchcraft seemed to be officially verified by official “non-fiction” documentation as well. Even Carrie’s own deranged mother drills into her head “thou shall not suffer a witch to live.”

What elements takes the novel out of the realm of pseudo-documentarian realism and situate it firmly within the allegorical sphere of fairy tale?

While there is certainly no happily-ever-after component here—aside from Carrie getting even with her torturers—the book is very much structured around fairy tale components. Her last name, of course, brings to mind Snow White. The events leading to the prom symbolically align with the Hans Christian Andersen tale of “The Ugly Duckling.” Carrie’s actual legal first name is Carietta, which isn’t a rhyme, but has a musical similarity to Cinderella and that is where the story as a dark revision of fairy tale really kicks into higher allegorical gear. Carietta White’s real mother is the stand-in for Cinderella’s wicked stepmother. Sue, who arranges for Carrie to attend the prom (ball) becomes her fairy godmother. Tommy is Prince Charming. And Chris and Billy are the wicked stepsisters.